Christmas Traditions
by snapple79
Summary: Andy and Sam make plans for Christmas. Will they spend it together?
1. Chapter 1

I'm new to fanfiction and not sure I really know what I'm doing, but this idea popped into my head and wouldn't go away. It was going to be a short Christmasy one-shot, but apparently when I start writing I can't stop, so I broke it up into a few chapters. It's all written though, so the chapters will come pretty quickly.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Christmas Plans<strong>

Andy and Sam sat in their cruiser patrolling the streets of Toronto. It had been a quiet day and Andy looked out the window at the light snow falling on the Christmas decorations filling the front yards - no matter how small they were - throughout the city. It was two weeks before Christmas and Andy was suddenly reminded of that nagging question she wanted to ask Sam.

"McNally?" Sam noticed Andy had drifted off into her own thoughts. And to be honest, he thought she looked so content, but he was too hungry to let her stay in her own world right then.

"Huh, what?"

"Where do you want to go for lunch?"

"Oh, anywhere is good." Andy took a closer look at what street they were on before continuing. "Maybe that diner a few blocks from here."

As Sam drove up the street and looked for a good parking spot, Andy decided she had to stop overthinking things. She had to at least bring up the topic. _I mean, we've been dating for a while now and the topic is going to come up at some point. It's only natural_, she thought. To stop her hands from fidgeting, she became obsessed with the lint on her pants. If Sam noticed, he didn't say anything. "So Sam, uh, what are your plans for Christmas? Are you spending it with Sarah?"

Sam glanced over at Andy as he parked the car in front of the diner. "Sarah's spending a couple weeks in Paris for Christmas and New Year's. It's something she's always wanted to do and she finally treated herself. So, no, I'm not spending it with her."

He got out of the car and waited for Andy to join him, placing a hand at the small of her back leading her into the diner, before continuing. "Ollie invited me to spend the day with him and Zoe and the girls, but I don't know. I might just tell Frank I can work, give others with families the time off."

Sam noticed Andy looked disappointed by his response as they walked into the diner and found a table near the window. In a rare moment, he was having trouble reading his partner and wasn't sure what caused the sad look on her face. Andy fidgeted with the menu and didn't know what to think now. Ok, the first part made sense. Ollie's wife loved Sam and wouldn't want him alone on Christmas. But come on, working? Didn't he want to spend time with her, hadn't he even considered that?

Sam knew Andy spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with her dad. He remembered how excited she was when the calendar turned to December and she told him about all the holiday traditions she had with her dad. He would have loved to invite her to spend Christmas with him, but Sam knew Tommy McNally was the only family Andy had and didn't want to disrupt that bond.

Interrupting their thoughts, a waitress came over to take their order and that seemed to be the end of the Christmas discussion. When the food arrived a few minutes later, they were talking about how Sam would be riding solo the next day because Andy had to appear in court about a case where she had been the arresting officer. "Maybe they'll stick you with Gail or Dov," Andy smirked. She knew how much they annoyed Sam when he was paired with one of them.

"Please, don't even," Sam was clearly fearful her thought could come true. "But, you know, _they_ do what I tell them to, unlike some other partners." Sam grinned, his dimples in full force, and Andy knew he was teasing her. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm just doing what my _awesome_ TO taught me, you know, how to be a pain the ass," she teased.

"Just eat. We can't spend all day here," Sam feigned annoyance and Andy couldn't help but smile.

When they were finished, Sam pulled some cash out of his wallet to pay the bill and Andy decided it was now or never. "Sam, do you want to spend Christmas with me and my dad? We go out to dinner on Christmas Eve and then spend Christmas Day together, starting with breakfast and opening presents, and some other stuff," Andy blurted out, rushing through the words so she couldn't continue to overthink it.

A smile formed on Sam's face and he looked deeply into Andy's brown eyes. Andy hated when he did that – well, no, truthfully she loved when he looked at her that way with those intense smoldering eyes.

But when he did that she felt like he could see deep into her soul and knew what she was thinking or feeling before she did. And as usual, that look made her blush slightly.

It felt like hours had gone by for Andy, but only a few seconds had passed before Sam responded. "Are you sure your dad won't mind? I know this is a special time the two of you share together. You know I love you and I want to spend Christmas with you, but are you sure that three isn't a crowd?"

Andy let out a small laugh and thought how that was the farthest thing from the truth. She recalled her conversation with her dad the week before.

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><p>"Ooooh dad, remember this one? I think I made it when I was eight." Andy pulled another ornament out of the box and brought it over to where her father was standing next to the tree.<p>

"You were seven actually. It was when you went through your 'everything has to have macaroni on it' stage," Tommy chuckled, taking the ornament from Andy's hands. A photo of the two of them had been glued onto cardboard and pieces of pasta were placed around them in the shape of a heart. She had even glued some spaghetti over their heads and Tommy figured it was supposed to imitate their hair.

Tommy placed the ornament on the tree and then put his arm around his daughter's shoulders to pull her closer to him. He kissed the top of her head and said, "Thanks for helping me with the Christmas tree, sweetie."

Andy looked up at her dad and smiled. She always helped decorate his tree and couldn't imagine not being part of the process. Even though the week before she put up her own tree in her condo, there was something special about sharing this moment with her dad. She looked up and down at the small tree her father had placed in a corner of his apartment and remembered the Christmases of her childhood. They would visit the Christmas tree lot and her dad would allow her to pick out the perfect tree. She had very specific requirements, it had to be tall and wide and smell like it had just come out of the forest. Tommy never did understand what exactly that smell was, but Andy knew and rejected many trees because it lacked that special aroma. They'd spend a full day decorating their home for the holiday, something Andy always enjoyed doing with her father.

Andy placed the last ornament on the tree and started packing up the empty boxes. "Do you want to stay for dinner? I have lasagna I was going to toss in the oven," Tommy asked as he began placing the empty boxes in a closet.

"I'd love to dad, but I made plans to meet Sam for dinner. Why don't you join us?"

"Sounds like a great idea. I like Sam, he's good for you, you're good for him. And most importantly, he treats you right." Andy knew her father's last comment was a dig at Luke. He never had a kind word to say about him after what he did, not that Andy minded of course because she felt the same way. Tommy sat down on the couch next to his daughter and pulled her in for a hug. Andy smiled and knew this was her opening for what she wanted to ask her dad.

"I know on Christmas it's always been just you and me, but I was wondering…" she hesitated, looking for the right words. She didn't want her father to think their traditions meant nothing to her because that was farthest from the truth.

"What Andy, wondering….?"

"Well, I was wondering if you minded if I invited someone to join us. If maybe Sam could come with me." Andy felt like a teenager asking for her parent's permission to extend curfew or go to a party. "I mean, I totally understand if you don't, but I just thought I'd like to spend the holiday with my two favorite men."

Tommy grabbed his daughter's hands and smiled before speaking. "Andy, it's _our_ time, _our_ traditions, not _my_ time. I appreciate you asking me, but you don't need to. It will be great to spend Christmas with the both of you."

Andy's eyes lit up. She truly wasn't sure how her dad would respond. It had been just the two of them for so long, she thought maybe he would think a third person would be intruding on their special time together. "Thank you, dad. I love you." She gave her father a huge hug. "Now, go change so we can meet Sam for dinner."

"Oh, and don't say anything about this to Sam yet," Andy continued nervously. "I haven't asked him and he may already have other plans. I don't know, so just, uh, let's just keep this conversation between us for now." Some things never change, Tommy thought. His daughter was still scared that Sam wouldn't want to spend time with her. After all they'd been though on the job and off, Tommy was amazed Andy still didn't realize how head over heels in love Sam was with her. He chuckled to himself as he changed his shirt.

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><p>Sitting at the table in the diner, Sam noticed a sparkle in Andy's eye and knew thoughts were running through that pretty head of hers. "No Sam, my dad would love for you to join us," she said answering his question. "I already talked to him about it and I'm pretty sure he was already expecting me to bring you."<p>

"Ok then, I guess I should let Ollie know he won't have an extra guest then."

"I guess you should," Andy said smiling.

As they got up to leave the diner, Andy quickly glanced around to see if anyone was looking at her and Sam before stealing a kiss. She then leaned in further so her mouth was next to his ear and whispered, "I love you." Sam stood there watching her walk away. _How'd I get so lucky_, he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

I never imagined there would be so much interest in this story, it's amazing! Thank you for reading, and for the reviews and alerts. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. And just to clarify in case it wasn't clear, this story is set after season 2, Sam and Andy have been dating for a couple months, and it's their first big holiday as a couple.

Please continue to let me know what you think. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Christmas Eve<strong>

"Seriously Trace, why am I so nervous?" Andy held her phone in one hand, while the other pulled another outfit from her closet and frowned before tossing it on the growing pile of clothes on the bed. "It's not like it's our first date or the first time he's met my dad."

Traci sat on the other end of the phone listening to her friend's frantic distress over the events of the next 24 hours. "Andy, you have to calm down. Like you said, Sam knows your dad, your dad knows Sam. There aren't any secrets. It's going to be your best Christmas."

"I know your right, but I feel like I'm going to puke I'm so nervous. And I hate all of my clothes!" Andy stared at the pile on her bed and considered going through the discarded items to give them a second look.

"How about the red cocktail dress you bought a few months ago," Traci suggested. She loved her friend, but knew she had to start getting ready soon for her own evening with Leo, Jerry and her mom.

The dress Traci was talking about lay in the pile on the bed, so Andy grabbed it and held it up to her as she looked in the mirror. "You don't think it's too sexy for Christmas with dad?"

"Not at all. It's beautiful."

"Thanks Trace. I'm sorry for freaking out on you today. I know you have tons of stuff to do for Leo."

"It's ok. I should get going but I want to hear all about Christmas with Swarek, so call me tomorrow night!"

"I will. Thanks again. Hug Leo for me and tell him I can't wait to hear what Santa brought him."

Andy placed her phone on the dresser and looked at the red dress. Traci was right, it was perfect for tonight. Glancing at the clock, she realized she needed to take a shower and get dressed if she was going to be ready when Sam came to pick her up.

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><p>There was a knock at her door, followed quickly by Sam saying "It's me" through the closed door. Andy poked her head out of the bedroom and yelled down the hall "Come in Sam!" She heard his key unlocking the door as she headed back into the bedroom to finish her makeup. Sam had hated when she left the door unlocked when she knew he'd be stopping by, so Andy decided to give him his own key. Sam had returned the favor, surprising Andy with the key to his apartment the next day.<p>

Sam leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed as he watched Andy almost poke her eye out as she applied eye makeup. Andy rolled her eyes when she heard him chuckle. What Sam didn't know was Andy almost lost an eye because she was looking at him instead of the mirror. She was so used to seeing him in his dark shirts and jeans – which he looked absolutely fantastic in - but tonight he wore a black suit with a dark green button-up shirt and she thought he never looked more handsome. If it was possible, the dark green shirt seemed to bring out his smoldering eyes even more than usual. Those dark brown eyes were making her weak in the knees. She forced herself to look back at the mirror to finish her makeup, otherwise they'd be making a trip to the ER instead of dinner.

She finished and when Andy turned to face him, Sam's eyes moved up and down her body, slowly taking her in. The red cocktail dress showcased her arms with an angled neckline covering one shoulder with a thick strap and leaving the other bare. The a-line dress had a bodice covered in ruching and came to just above the knee. Andy accessorized with red pumps, a gold bracelet her dad had given her years before and small teardrop earrings. Her chestnut hair was down, laying soft curls around her neck and was the only thing covering the shoulder left bare by the dress. Sam always thought Andy was beautiful, even when she had just woken up and her hair was tussled and eyes were still sleepy, but the woman who stood in front of him took his breath away at that moment.

"You look beautiful," Sam finally managed to say when he found his voice.

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself," Andy said smiling, giving him the once over – ok, maybe twice over – like she had just been on the receiving end of.

Andy walked towards Sam, who closed the distance until they were inches apart. He pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear before his hand settled on her cheek. He brought his lips down to meet hers and the kiss quickly deepened. When they broke apart for air, Andy said, "We should get going. We don't want to be late."

Sam slid his hand from her cheek down her shoulder and arm until it met her hand. "Let's go."

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><p>They arrived at the restaurant and as Sam was hanging up their coats, Andy saw her dad had already gotten their table. The chill Andy had felt when they were outside was quickly replaced by warmth as Sam placed his hand on her lower back and bolts of electricity shot through her body. She'd never get tired of that feeling.<p>

"Hi honey," Tommy said, pulling his daughter into a hug before shaking Sam's hand. "Nice to see you again, Sam."

Sam had never been here before, but Andy had told him it was a fancy Italian restaurant with amazing food. If the wonderful aromas wafting through the air were any indication, Sam knew he'd be agreeing with her by the end of the night. "Do you come here every Christmas Eve?" he asked.

"Not every year, but many of them. We alternate who gets to pick the restaurant each year and this year my dad picked this place because it's one of his favorites."

As Andy glanced around the table, seeing Sam reading the menu and her dad looking around at the Christmas decorations, she knew that Traci was right. This was going to be her best Christmas ever, with the two men she loved most in the world.

After placing their orders they settled into comfortable conversation. Sam and Andy talked about some of the crazy calls they responded to recently and Tommy shared equally funny stories from his days on the force. The conversation switched to stories from past holidays, which was fine until Tommy brought up embarrassing moments from Andy's childhood.

"Dad!" she squealed, almost spitting soda all over the table. "That story should be tucked away like naked baby photos!"

Sam quirked his eyebrows and tried to hold in his laughter at Andy's reaction while Tommy continued his teasing. "Tucked away? I left the albums on the coffee table. Thought you'd want to show Sam the pictures of you flailing around the tub when you were three."

Andy's face was nearly as red as her dress and she shot Sam a look that said "Don't encourage him!" As much fun as Tommy was having teasing his daughter, he relented and changed the subject. "Why don't we take a look at the dessert menu," he said, waving their waiter down.

Andy couldn't decide between the strawberry cheesecake and double fudge cake and looked over at Sam and gave him a huge smile. "Which one do you want me to get?" he asked, knowing she wanted to get two things and share them. Andy reached over and squeezed Sam's hand in a loving gesture. _He __knows __me __so __well_, she thought.

When the waiter arrived with their desserts, Tommy couldn't help but smile as he watched Andy and Sam. He was happy his daughter had found someone who loved and cared about her so much. Tommy was overprotective and wouldn't let just anyone sweep his daughter off her feet. But Sam wasn't _just __anyone_, he was a good man and Tommy knew his daughter would be treated well.

After paying the bill, the trio agreed to meet back at Tommy's and get into one car before they continued with the Christmas Eve traditions. "So, are you going to tell me what's next?" Sam asked as they followed Tommy back to his apartment.

"Well, ever since I was little, we would drive around the city looking at all the Christmas decorations people have out. It started one year when dinner ended really early and we weren't ready to go home yet. Now I can't imagine Christmas without it."

"That's a great tradition, Andy. Thanks for allowing me to be part of all this," Sam said, reaching over to intertwine his fingers with hers.

Andy couldn't help but smile. She could never imagine life without her dad, but maybe these traditions would continue with Sam even when her dad was no longer around.

They arrived at Tommy's and piled into his car. Sam loved to drive, but this night was about father and daughter, and he wanted them in the front seat together. And apparently they had a normal route they traveled to look at the lights because Tommy knew right where he was going and Andy started pointing out some of her favorite decorations. Sam smiled when Andy got as giddy as a child, and he reached over the seat to squeeze her shoulder like an unspoken "I love you." When his hand lingered, Andy reached up and grasped his hand in hers.

Nearly two hours later, they were pulling up to the curb outside of Tommy's apartment building and he invited them inside. "I know it's getting late, but I have your favorite hot cocoa," he said, looking at Andy. "And Sam, I have coffee if you'd prefer that."

Andy explained to Sam as they walked up to the apartment that hot cocoa on Christmas Eve was another tradition.

Knowing her dad and Sam would want coffee, she turned the coffee pot on and then started heating water on the stove for her hot cocoa. While Tommy was fiddling around with something in the living room, Sam snuck in the kitchen and came up behind Andy, sliding his arms around her waist as she reached for mugs in a cabinet. She sensed Sam come into the room and wasn't surprised when she felt his touch. She easily relaxed back into him and turned her head to look up into his face. He brought his mouth down to hers for a kiss. Her lips tasted like strawberries and chocolate, just like their desserts. Remembering they were in her dad's kitchen – and yes, she felt like a teenager again, bringing a boy home – Andy pulled away from Sam and placed three mugs on the counter.

Sam backed up so he was leaning against the counter as Tommy walked into the kitchen. "I found a Christmas special on TV. Looks like a concert of some sort and the lighting of a Christmas tree," he said.

Andy vaguely remembered seeing commercials about it, but knew the tree lighting happened earlier in the month. "Oh yeah, I think I saw they were going to re-air it tonight. I missed it the first time."

They grabbed their drinks and headed into the living room to get comfortable. Tommy took his seat in his favorite chair, while Andy and Sam sat together on the couch with his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and absentmindedly he started playing with her hair. Andy was intently watching whoever was singing on the Christmas special, but he was focused on the small Christmas tree filled with ornaments. He could easily tell each one had meaning and from the looks of it most were made by a young Andy.

When the show ended, Andy realized it was time for her and Sam to leave. "Dad, I know I usually stay over, but – "

Tommy didn't let his daughter finish the thought. "I didn't expect you to this year," he smiled. "Just make sure you don't miss my famous breakfast tomorrow."

"Never dad, it's the highlight of Christmas." Andy hugged her father and gave him a kiss on the cheek before Sam helped her into her coat. "We'll be back bright and early, I promise."

They said their goodbyes and headed down to Sam's truck. As he opened the door and helped Andy up into the seat, he couldn't think of a happier Christmas. Andy seemed to be reading his thoughts. "I'm happy," she said simply. Her eyes met Sam's and he knew all of her thoughts behind those two words…because he felt the same way. Sam released Andy's hand which he had been holding and briefly rested his on her bare knee. When she shivered, Sam asked, "Are you cold?" Andy shook her head no and wondered if his touch would always make her react and feel that way.

Sam got into his truck and they headed back to his apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

Here is the third and final chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you for reading! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Christmas Day<strong>

Andy woke to rays of sunlight flooding her face. She knew it was still early and didn't want to wake Sam, whose arm was draped across her waist. She tried to go back to sleep, but it was Christmas morning and she was a kid at heart. She turned her head and found her nose inches away from his, and resisted the urge to rub her nose against his, something that had become their thing. Instead, she slowly traced his face with her eyes. She started with his hair, messed from a night's sleep, and his closed eyes, which made him look very peaceful. She moved down to his cute nose and then his mouth, and Andy couldn't resist. She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

His eyes shot open and the hand over her waist quickly moved to cup the back of her neck and pull her even closer. Sam deepened the kiss and thought, _This __is __a __great __way __to __start __Christmas __morning._ He pulled back when the need for air overcame him. Breathing heavy, he glanced over at the clock.

"Andy, it's 6am! You don't even get up this early to make it to parade on time," Sam teased.

She rolled her eyes at him, which earned her a quick peck on the lips from Sam so she knew he was joking. "And good morning to you too," she huffed with faux annoyance.

Sam rolled so he was on top of Andy and smiled so all his dimples were in view. "Actually, I'm surprised you slept this late," he said as he rubbed his thumb against her cheek. "What time do we have to be at your dad's?"

"No set time, but I thought we'd leave in a couple hours." Andy slid her hands up and down Sam's back before playing with the hem of his shirt.

"So then, we, uh, have some time," Sam said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Andy's giggle was quickly silenced when Sam crushed his lips against hers.

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><p>While Sam finished his shower and got dressed, Andy made coffee knowing neither could wait till they got to her dad's for their first cup. Taking a sip, she pulled out her phone to text her dad, letting him know they'd be there by 9am. Andy went looking for the boots she wanted to wear that day and a shopping bag near the front door caught her eye. From where she was standing she could see a bow sticking out and figured the bag was full of presents Sam planned to bring to her dad's. She took two steps toward the bag, wanting to take a peak instead, but the opening of the bathroom door down the hall stopped her.<p>

"Should I wear anything special for today?" Sam yelled from the bedroom.

Turning away from the bag, Andy grabbed the mugs of coffee and walked down the hall, responding, "No, we're pretty casual on Christmas morning. Honestly, since I usually wake up at my dad's I'm typically in my pajamas for most of the day." Since that outfit wasn't an option this year, Andy chose jeans and a soft v-neck sweater from the clothes she left at Sam's after he'd given her a drawer so she could keep some stuff at his place.

Sam was grabbing a maroon long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans out of the closet when Andy entered the bedroom. "Coffee?" she asked.

"Mmmm, thanks," Sam said, quickly gulping the hot liquid.

It was about half an hour later when they were getting into Sam's car. He had quietly placed the bag of presents in the back of his truck holding in a chuckle when he caught Andy trying to look in the bag. Not that she could see anything through the wrapping paper anyway, but he thought it was cute.

As he pulled out of the driveway, he fumbled around with the radio until he found what he was looking for, a station playing all Christmas music. Normally this wouldn't be a station he listened to, but he knew it would make Andy happy. She smiled and started humming along to "Jingle Bells," which in turn made Sam smile. Andy reached over and placed her hand on Sam's thigh and he took one hand off the steering wheel so he could hold her hand and began rubbing circles on the back of it with his thumb.

They arrived at Tommy's apartment and Sam placed a hand at the small of Andy's back as they walked to the door. Andy had barely rapped her knuckles on the door when Tommy was pulling it wide open and inviting them in. He saw the bag that Sam carried and said, "You can put those under the tree next to the ones Andy dropped off a few days ago." Sam did as he was told while Andy and her father chatted good mornings and other pleasantries.

Breakfast was amazing and Tommy had gone all out as usual. He had made his daughter's favorite, chocolate chip pancakes, along with bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast with a special cherry jam he knew Andy loved.

"Dad, this was fantastic as usual. You really shouldn't go to so much trouble."

Tommy shook his head at his daughter. "Cooking Christmas breakfast for my only daughter is no trouble. I'm just glad you still like to spend time with me."

Andy got up and kissed her dad on his forehead. "Always and forever," she said not wanting to think of spending Christmas any other way.

Sam looked at the father and daughter for what was probably the hundredth time in the last day and silently wished he had a similar relationship with either of his parents. Shaking off those thoughts, he said, "This was really fabulous Tommy." He got up and started to clear the plates from the table. Andy joined him and told her father to go relax.

"Go find a hockey or football game or something on TV while we clean up dad." Before he could argue, she pushed him out of the kitchen and continued, "It's the least we can do after you did all that cooking."

Sam and Andy had gotten halfway through cleaning up in relative silence, when Sam spoke. "I guess you aren't allergic to silence after all," he joked.

Andy had been lost in her own thoughts and laughed when Sam made fun of her. "I was just thinking about how much I love Christmas."

"Funny, I was just thinking about how much I love _you_," Sam said, coming around the kitchen table and wrapping his arms around her. Andy put the plate she was holding on the counter, and winding her arms around Sam placed her hands firmly on his back. She hid her face in the crook of his neck and he felt her muffled voice against his neck as she said, "I love you too."

Once the leftovers had been placed in the fridge and dirty dishes were left being cleaned in the dishwasher, they sat down in the living room to open presents. Tommy shut the TV off and got up to retrieve some presents from under the tree. Placing them next to Andy, he said, "Merry Christmas honey."

Andy finished opening her presents from her dad – two knit cardigans, small gold hoop earrings and a DVD of a movie she'd been dying to see – and Tommy unwrapped all the gifts from his daughter – a few flannel shirts, socks and a beautifully framed new photo of the father and daughter. Andy got up to get her presents for Sam, but he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the couch. "You first," he said, reaching over to grab a large square box and placing it in her lap.

Andy carefully unwrapped the box and saw a stuffed lion when she lifted the lid. Pulling it out of the box, she smiled remembering when Sam told her she had a lion's heart. "Oh Sam, it's so –" She stopped mid-sentence when she realized the lion's paws were holding a small jewelry box. She flipped the felt box open and stared at the most beautiful necklace. The charm was silver and in the shape of a lion, and as Andy looked closer she noticed a gemstone where the lion's heart would be, her birthstone. Tears formed in her eyes and although she tried blinking them away, one escaped down her cheek. Sam leaned over to wipe the teardrop away with his thumb.

"So, you like it?"

"Sam. It's…I mean, I…Sam." The last word came out as a sigh, as Andy just couldn't find the right words to express what the gift meant.

"Wow, Andy McNally is speechless. I must remember how to do this in the future," Sam teased.

"Don't ruin the moment Sam," she responded as she playfully slapped his arm. "It's beautiful Sam. I love it," she said as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. When they broke apart, she motioned for him to help her put the necklace on. His hand lingered on her back rubbing circles on it for a few moments.

Tommy watched the couple and knew there was some hidden meaning in the gift, but decided not to interrupt the moment and planned to ask his daughter later. Whatever the case, he couldn't remember the last time he saw a simple gift light up his daughter's eyes so much.

Sam had one more gift for Andy and he pulled a small box from under the tree. Andy furrowed her eyebrows, confused when she found a brochure for a spa lying in the box. Sam explained, "Being a cop isn't an easy job and your body takes a lot of abuse, so I thought you could use a day at the spa to relax and pamper yourself."

Andy couldn't believe the thought he had put into her gifts. She knew he cared about her, but he didn't just go to the mall and pick something off a shelf. He had put deep thought into what he was giving her. "This is amazing Sam. I'm really going to enjoy this," she said, dreaming about a really good massage.

Andy placed her gifts next to her on the couch and got up to get two wrapped packages she had for Sam. As she handed him the presents, her lips grazed his mouth in a quick kiss.

Unlike Andy, Sam tore the wrapping paper off his first gift quickly. He looked in the box and was shocked at what he saw. "How did you know? Where did you get these?"

"You mentioned in passing how you loathed trying to find nice frames for special photos, so they were just tossed in a box. I may have poked around your apartment a bit to find the photos and then had them professionally matted in frames that match your furniture," Andy replied.

Sam looked from Andy back into the box and pulled out the first frame, which held a photo of him and Sarah when he graduated the academy. He recalled that Sarah told him how it was the happiest day of her life, to see the man he had become. When tears filled his eyes, he quickly blinked them away and wondered if he had ever told Andy that story. The second frame held a photo of him and Sarah when they were children playing with their parents on a beach. They looked like such the happy family. He placed the frames back in the box so he could pull out the third. The smile on his face got even bigger when he saw the photo was of him and Andy. He didn't remember it being taken, but recognized the background and knew it was from the barbeque Oliver insisted on having when the temperature had reached an unusually high 70 degrees in November.

"These are amazing. I can't wait to get home and hang them up," Sam told Andy as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

Reluctantly putting the frames away, Sam grabbed the other present Andy had given him. It was rather large, but very light. He was perplexed at what it could be, but tore the wrapping paper off. He glanced down at soft item in his hands before shooting a weary glance at Andy.

"This is just part of your gift since the rest has to wait until it gets warmer. I'm taking you camping, city boy!" Andy said excitedly.

"As long as you don't let me die out there, I look forward to it," he said, smiling at the sleeping bag he held. Sam leaned over and brushed his lips against Andy's. "Thank you."

Hours later after stories had been told, laughter had filled the room and eggnog had been drunk, it was time for Andy and Sam to get going. "Thanks dad. This has been another great Christmas." Lowering her voice to a whisper, she continued, "And thank you for allowing Sam to be a part of all this."

Tommy hugged his daughter and wondered if she knew that Sam was simply a part of her and it wouldn't have been Christmas without him by her side. "You're welcome, kiddo. Call me next week and I'll take you out to lunch before I head out of town for New Year's." Andy nodded and was glad her dad was taking part in a sobriety retreat and she didn't have to worry about him falling off the wagon on New Year's Eve. He had been doing so well lately.

"Thanks Tommy. I had a great time spending Christmas with you and Andy," Sam said.

Sam and Andy collected their presents, said their goodbyes and headed down to Sam's truck. As he pulled away from the curb, he asked, "Your place or mine?"

Andy didn't even want to think about the mess awaiting her in her condo and she had to admit she didn't want to be separated from Sam yet. "Yours," she replied.

* * *

><p>After walking into Sam's apartment, Andy suddenly had an idea. "Let's take a walk," she said, grabbing Sam's hand.<p>

"Another tradition?" he asked.

Andy thought about it for minute before responding. "I'd like to start a new tradition," she said smiling. Sam grinned and hoped it was one of many they could share together for years to come.

Snow was lightly falling and the streets were quiet. Sam had his arm around Andy's waist pulling her close and her arm rested on his waist as she leaned her head on his shoulder. It may have taken a while, but she was truly happy for the first time in years. When she started to get chilly, they headed back and as Andy took off her boots, she heard her phone beep with a new text message.

It was Traci. "So? How was Christmas?" Andy punched Traci's number into the phone and didn't even let Traci say hello before answering her friend's question: "Heavenly!"

THE END


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